Share your experience/ advice (Post Injury Recovery)

[440MTB]

Greetings Hubbers!

Trust you guys and gals are doing well...

So on the 20th of Jan, after an awesome ride from home to Bloemendal, doing a few laps, clearing the bigger jumps (recently started progressing a fair bit with my jumps/gaps/drop-offs/etc)... I literally did the one thing we are never meant to do... the whole "just one last section/lap/etc"... and decided to hit up a few little double jumps and some berms literally on my way out of the trail on my way home (after seeing off a riding buddy at his car)... and then literally in the very last berm on my way out... I came into the corner (with a fair bit of speed after clearing a little double jump before it), and the next moment, I just lost the front (trails are extremely dry and loose, and I suspect my tyre pressure was too high too, as I tend to make my Assegai & DHR a bit firmer when I ride from home vs going there with my car)... I ended up SMASHING into the ground with my left arm tucked into my side, in turn smashing my elbow into my rib cage... wind knocked clean out of me, me getting up sounding a Northwestern Manatee giving birth... I also felt a pop/click sensation in my chest, and suspected I popped a rib or two (thankfully on first post-crash check it wasn't a shoulder or collar bone as I have a roasty on my shoulder too from impacting the gravel).

So after checking my bike, then myself, 🤣 dusting myself off, wiping some blood off my arm and leg, etc, I decided to ride it off (still had around 15km to get home from the trails on an Enduro/All Mountain bike), but around the time I reached the corridor exit close to the Protea hotel, the pain in my left side was basically unbearable, so I called in a favour with my buddy who I rode with.

Long story short: After a whole mission with getting my bike home, etc, I ended up going to the Emergency Room at my local Mediclinic for Xrays/to get everything checked out... Xrays came up clear of any fractures, but the Doctor said he suspects I might've broken the cartilage on the rib cage as well as tore/seriously injured the muscles around the ribs (which won't show up on Xrays).  They gave me a prescription for some strong pain & anti-inflammatory meds.

So it's been a rough week and a half, with pain and discomfort, but what has been worse for me is the mental challenge... I often find myself thinking this was such bland/stupid crash, and I ended up in ER, what where to happen if I come off doing some of the bigger jumps/pallet drop-offs/higher speed corners that we frequently do on the trails... is it worth the risk, etc? Bearing in mind I'm 38 now, so not a youngster anymore, and I have a wife and kid who are dependent on me, etc.

I actually contemplated selling my Enduro bike and getting a trail hard tail, focusing on fitness rather than "shredding the gnar"/doing bigger jumps/gaps/dropoffs or whatever you want to call the dragon I was constantly chasing the last year or so... but then I also thought, this is out of 8000km+ of riding, the first time I've actually "seriously" gotten hurt, and I wasn't doing something where I rode outside of my "skill/comfort/ability" zone.

So on to my question to you guys, what have you experienced, and how has it impacted your mental state, and did you give up or just get back on and continue where you left off, etc?

Cheers!

Edited January 30 by 440MTB

[Nestus]

I had a similar experience on the way out from Majik Forest. Front wheel ended in a rut and went over the bars. Smashed the frame over both legs, could not lift my right arm and very sore ribs. Still had to ride home from the trail to my friend's place in Brackenfell. Also went to ER and luckily nothing broken. Went to the specialist and he confirmed i torn the AC joint in my shoulder and heavy inflammation. Long story short, struggled to get the shoulder back in motion having a 4 year old at home who wants to play and be picked up. Since beginning of December last year i am in permanent shoulder rehab with Body and Bike, seeing her once a week and have exercises and strengthening to do. Will most likely continue for another 4 weeks. The mental state is not so great, I love my bike too much, but taking some time off from the saddle and focusing on getting stronger off the bike and running a bit to keep the fitness level up. 

[lechatnoir]

35 minutes ago, 440MTB said:

Greetings Hubbers!

Trust you guys and gals are doing well...

So on the 20th of Jan, after an awesome ride from home to Bloemendal, doing a few laps, clearing the bigger jumps (recently started progressing a fair bit with my jumps/gaps/drop-offs/etc)... I literally did the one thing we are never meant to do... the whole "just one last section/lap/etc"... and decided to hit up a few little double jumps and some berms literally on my way out of the trail on my way home (after seeing off a riding buddy at his car)... and then literally in the very last berm on my way out... I came into the corner (with a fair bit of speed after clearing a little double jump before it), and the next moment, I just lost the front (trails are extremely dry and loose, and I suspect my tyre pressure was too high too, as I tend to make my Assegai & DHR a bit firmer when I ride from home vs going there with my car)... I ended up SMASHING into the ground with my left arm tucked into my side, in turn smashing my elbow into my rib cage... wind knocked clean out of me, me getting up sounding a Northwestern Manatee giving birth... I also felt a pop/click sensation in my chest, and suspected I popped a rib or two (thankfully on first post-crash check it wasn't a shoulder or collar bone as I have a roasty on my shoulder too from impacting the gravel).

So after checking my bike, then myself, 🤣 dusting myself off, wiping some blood off my arm and leg, etc, I decided to ride it off (still had around 15km to get home from the trails on an Enduro/All Mountain bike), but around the time I reached the corridor exit close to the Protea hotel, the pain in my left side was basically unbearable, so I called in a favour with my buddy who I rode with.

Long story short: After a whole mission with getting my bike home, etc, I ended up going to the Emergency Room at my local Mediclinic for Xrays/to get everything checked out... Xrays came up clear of any fractures, but the Doctor said he suspects I might've broken the cartilage on the rib cage as well as tore/seriously injured the muscles around the ribs (which won't show up on Xrays).  They gave me a prescription for some strong pain & anti-inflammatory meds.

So it's been a rough week and a half, with pain and discomfort, but what has been worse for me is the mental challenge... I often find myself thinking this was such bland/stupid crash, and I ended up in ER, what where to happen if I come off doing some of the bigger jumps/pallet drop-offs/higher speed corners that we frequently do on the trails... is it worth the risk, etc? Bearing in mind I'm 38 now, so not a youngster anymore, and I have a wife and kid who are dependent on me, etc.

I actually contemplated selling my Enduro bike and getting a trail hard tail, focusing on fitness rather than "shredding the gnar"/doing bigger jumps/gaps/dropoffs or whatever you want to call the dragon I was constantly chasing the last year or so... but then I also thought, this is out of 8000km+ of riding, the first time I've actually "seriously" gotten hurt, and I wasn't doing something where I rode outside of my "skill/comfort/ability" zone.

So on to my question to you guys, what have you experienced, and how has it impacted your mental state, and did you give up or just get back on and continue where you left off, etc?

Cheers!

Firstly, I'm glad it's not worse - in hindsight, these things always could be.

I think I speak for everyone here - take your doc's advice seriously and follow the rehab. But also don't be shy about getting a second opinion.

If you have to take time off the bike to recover 100%, do so. You can always ride when you're at that stage, but risking a setback isn't worth it in the long run.

Speedy healing and take time to make the big decisions on bikes etc. A carefully thought-out plan is better than a chaotic one.

And lastly, I hope this can be a stage of growth for you. That way, it wouldn't have been pointless.

[Super Sywurm]

My motto is as follow when riding my bike:  Rather take it easy and go for a ride again tomorrow.

[throttles]

@440MTB I had a similar fall on W2W stage 3 just before the WP1. It took about 5min to get my breathing back and collect myself. Got back on the bike and rode another 40+KM to the finish.

 

I later found out that I moered these two loose (pic below), couldn't see on Xray but physical exam confirmed it. I was told it would take 6-8 weeks to heal itself. There's no bracket, brace or sling that will help it. Only ibuprofen and painkillers. I couldn't laugh, else it would be sore. But i could ride my road bike Z1 👌🤐

IT took the full 8 weeks to heal, All the best 🙏

 

 

Sternochondral, also known as chondrosternal or sternocostal joints, are synovial plane joints that attach the sternum (sterno-) with the costal cartilages (-chondral) of the thorax. The first sternochondral joint is an exception, being considered a primary cartilaginous joint.

Edited January 30 by throttles
words not wording

[440MTB]

@Nestus - Sounds rough man! Sorry to hear, considering the costs of medical assistance of any sort these days, I can't even imagine what it must cost to go for physical therapy as well.  Also, having a 4 year old daughter as well, this is exactly one of the things that has been eating away at my mental wellbeing as well... She wants to play, I literally can't do anything physical with her... couple this with the fact that we still had to go to the West Coast to visit my mother for her birthday (plans made LONG in advance, so couldn't bail - or at least, I felt "okay" enough to still drive through on the same day of my crash), I also didn't fully enjoy myself, we went to the beach the next day, and I couldn't even play with my daughter or even enjoy walking on the beach (the uneven terrain was agonizing).

@lechatnoir - Thanks for the wishes, and definitely taking it easy and only getting back on the bike once I'm confident all is well, and even so, not sure if I'm just going to be able to jump back in to jumps and drop-offs, as I don't want to risk damaging anything again if not healed 100% - So will probably do some more mellow rides to ease back into it.

@Super Sywurm - I hear you - my colleague also has this motto: "Ride to ride another day".

@throttles - Sounds rough man - I suspect it's the same cartilage the doctor referred to with my injury as well, but just lower down where my elbow pressed against the lower ribs... but thankfully, I'm MUCH better and I don't think it was as bad as what yours was - but still in quite a bit of discomfort and pain, but I'll take it easy and will give it ample time to heal up before I risk going crazy on the trails again, perhaps a nice Zone 1/2 longer ride on smoother trails will do the trick... going to suck on a bigger enduro bike with burly tires, but alas, it is what it is, as I only have the one bike at the moment.

Edited January 30 by 440MTB

[Jewbacca]

After fractured vertebrae, collar bones, shoulder blades, elbows, wrists, ribs, thumbs, hands, fingers, hip, femur, multiple foot bones, toes and an ankle (pretty sure there is more), not counting the soft tissue damage, my answer is if you are inclined to enjoy the gnar, you will find a way to ride the edge of whatever you do. 

If its skateboards, enduro, DH, road bikes, Moto.... You will push until you get hurt.

I'm recovering from a broken elbow currently from falling off the road bike. There is no 'I'll buy a hardtail and go easier'. You won't.

You might for a while, but you will forget and you will just be doing the same jumps on a hardtail in 9 months time.

Just be  mindful of your decisions and have an exit strategy in place.

I'm no spring chicken and I am definitely 'better' and less reckless, but I am also an idiot at heart

Edited January 30 by Jewbacca

[Mamil]

Both the bone doctors who patched me up after my 2 significant crashes (one femoral neck and one involving cracked ribs and a couple of broken hand bones) have told me that they make more out of MTB riders than out of rugby and motorbikes combined.

This has definitely altered the way i ride. I love riding trails but I'm also pretty useless at it which is a dangerous combination. I'm 55 this year and getting less and less inclined to see if I can go.faster down Patrick's plunge than I did last time. 

It's a risk we all take and I think most of us have had moderate and even serious injuries at least once.

I don't think I will ever stop riding on the mountains.

 

[Rapunzel]

We feel your pain and any ER trip on the weekend will have you sharing war stories with other mtb'ers. 20 Jan is still early days so pop the pain meds or use transact patches (great for injured ribs). Embrace the pain where you can, it gives you an endorphin kick and also helps you know when you're pushing your body too hard.

Did similar early last year on Lombards - ended up in hospital with concussion, collarbone in 5 pieces and 2 broken ribs. Thankfully lack of memory meant confidence recovered quickly and was back on the indoor trainer day after discharge and on trails in about 4 weeks. Still love mountain biking but it's always a fine line between pushing boundaries and playing safe.

 

[dave303e]

I have only done a few fingers on a mountainbike which don't hurt enough to warrant thinking about life. But my experience from racing motocross and enduro motorbikes is pretty extensive so here it goes. 

Best case scenario is to ring your bell properly in a crash, that way you can't remember it and don't know what you did wrong so whenever you in the same situation you are not remembering the crash.

Ribs unfortunately are one of the most uncomfortable injuries to live with, they just suck and they take forever to feel good again. Don't rush it, wait till the pain subsides and then start with easier rides and getting fit and then go back to shredding. I have done foot, ankle, heel bone, kneecap, ribs, collarbones, coccyx,  wrists, arms, literally every single finger, and then more shoulder dislocations than I care to even try count. Broken ribs are literally the most uncomfortable IMO...

As for the mental battle, it comes with the territory. My 2c is that you should manage what you can manage so you can still shred. What I mean by this is that you need to manage when to open yourself up to risks. When you are alone you can't be jumping/shredding/topping out speed wise and stuff like that. When you are alone focus on the cardio side. When you are with someone else then it is time to shred. Forget the crash and focus on the fun and what you are doing because if you think of a crash on a take off, you will crash.

Make sure your med aid info is nearby and that you are ok with the consequences of what you want to do.

Riding a desk during the week is fine with broken ribs/collarbones. I once had to place a base station on a trig beacon for an aerial survey having bust a few fingers, dislocated a shoulder and rung the bell the bay before at Rhino MX track. It was a game changer and pushed me into more technical enduro where the speeds were lower. The boss was not happy when I rocked up buzzed on pain meds black and blue. But we had booked the plane and there was no other way to get it done and it was absolute hell that day.

The other day I went and sent a bigger table top at chestnut hill, but now I ride a desk in the week so it is not a major issue, so you need to understand your life limitations and consequences before doing it.

Freak accidents happen, but the big big ones are usually when you fly to close to the sun. So pick and choose what and when to risk it on and what support is around if you get it wrong.

Never do that one last lap/jump and never just decide to take a bike for a test ride in the driveway and pop a wheelie.

Also try not take all your pain meds, the sooner you can wean yourself the better, that s... can be dangerous in it's own right.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

It's the nature of the beast that is cycling, or most sports for that matter. You're going to get hurt, sooner or later... sometimes repeatedly and sometime due to nothing you did wrong but rather what the chop next to you did or the animal running across your path did. 

If you love the sport enough, you suck it up and move on. The 3-6 months of healing every few years is totally worth the multiple years of pure enjoyment you're going to get by riding your bike... fast 😉